Three's A Crowd
by PikaForce
Summary: A series of drabbles, probably not incredibly short, concerning Touko, N, and Cheren...and the intriguing love triangle that they form.  Ferriswheelshipping.  Rated K.  REVIEW!


_So...I had so much fun writing that one little fic entitled _"Enjoy The Ride" _that, quite simply, I had to write more. So here's the start of a collection of drabbles revolving around Ferriswheelshipping. That ship needs more love. Seriously. _

_Also, I'm gonna include Cheren in several of these, because he's an interesting character and could be a prop towards N x Touko (y'know that old thing called 'jealousy'? In my fantastical ferriswheelshippy world, Cheren's got a lot of it toward N :D). Anyway, enough of my happiness. Ready...set...go!_

_~Pika_

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It had all started on that day.

He should've noticed the instant intrigue, the curiosity that was practically tangible the moment _that guy _stepped onto the scene. It was after Ghetsis finished his speech on that lawn in Accumula Town. After the crowd dispersed. After he, Cheren, had opened his mouth to suggest to Touko that they move on.

The green-headed guy (really, who has green hair? Seriously?) had scurried toward them. But that wasn't what really put Cheren off. The guy's words scrambled over one another at a faster pace than his legs.

"Seriously, slow down! You're talking too fast." Cheren had been quick to reprimand him as if he were five. The guy deserved it, right?

Touko's angled head and slightly annoyed expression in his own direction hurt. But not more than the fact that the grass-head had her hanging on to every one of his accelerated words.

She looked a little weirded out when the kid announced his name to be a single consonant, it was true. Put off more still when he wanted to hear her Pokemon speak. _Speak_? What was with this kid?

One would think that he'd been shut off from the rest of society since childhood or something.

Nonetheless, their battle had commenced. She'd won - Cheren had been immensely relieved. Nobody was allowed to beat her if he himself could not. Then the kid had jabbered about how her Pokemon "spoke" differently than any others he'd heard, etc. etc. Then he was gone.

"What a weirdo," Cheren remembered saying the instant the kid was out of earshot. His glasses had slipped down his nose; he promptly pushed them up. Touko, he was happy to observe, had not remained on the spot, staring after the babbling stranger. She'd made a beeline for the Pokemon Center after her encounter with Mr. My-Name-Is-A-Single-Consonant.

Still, something wasn't right. "I mean, his hair! and his...his speedtalking!" he tried again. They were hardly walking anymore; he was having to practically hold his glasses on his face to keep them there.

Dead silence from the girl next to him. She didn't look angry or distant; only thoughtful as they drew closer to the Center.

Then he knew.

She'd been listening to the guy. For as long as he, Cheren, could remember, she'd almost always agreed with him. And when she did, it was with a definitive verbal assent.

Now? Silence. What was worse, the silence was thoughtful. Pondering.

He hoped she didn't notice when he opened his mouth three times to insult the guy. Even more, he hoped she didn't notice that not a single sound came out each time. How embarrassing.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"N" made multiple appearances throughout their journey. The disturbing part was that they rarely included Cheren. Oh, he'd hear about how N had done this or that every once in a while. Once, recently, he'd even confronted Touko about it - when they were both in Nimbasa City.

She was staring off into space for the fiftieth time since he'd met up with her, and finally he'd asked her what she'd been up to there - "I mean, before you defeated the Gym Leader?" In that moment, conveying a sense of nonchalance was one of the hardest things he'd had to do the entire journey.

"Umm...y'know, there's lots of things to do in this city!"

"Yeah...if you like dressing up your Pokemon or performing in musicals with them."

He'd met with an impenetrable glare.

"Which you don't," he added. Just in case he hadn't gotten his point across.

"Okay, I get it. Well...I...took a ride on the ferris wheel."

"Oh, really?" He could already picture the two of them watching the sunset. Aloft in a glass box, twirling round and round...

"Yup." She pursed her lips; obviously the discussion was over.

"Well, maybe you should go with someone next time," he forged ahead, knowing full well what that tight-lipped look meant but not caring. "I mean, it sounds scary to go alone."

Was that a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes? He couldn't tell. He was sure he'd imagined it when she said flatly, "Yeah, maybe I will next time."

Surely, his mind was playing tricks on him. Surely.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

_...So, what did you think? Writing Cheren was a little weird - not gonna lie. He sorta came out sharp and sarcastic, which is how (in my opinion) he comes across in the games. Not a bad kid. Just a little bossy and harsh at times. Anyway, this was written in, like, fifteen to twenty minutes, so if it's not great, well, I'm not surprised if I read it back later and groan. But oh well! :D REVIEW, please! I want to hear if it needs tweaking, adjustments, how well I kept Cheren in-character (or not), etc.! Thanks for reading!_

_~Pika_


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